Taylor Montgomery, a former UNLV golf team member, survived a four-man, one-hole playoff on the 18th hole at Sand Hollow Resort to win the Sand Hollow Leavitt Group Open on Saturday. The win came with an $18,000 first-place purse and the Leavitt Group’s sponsor exemption into the 2019 Web.Com Tour Utah Championship.

Montgomery shot rounds of 65-65-69 – 199 to finish 17-under, tied with defending champion Tom Whitney, Ben Geyer and Eric McCardle. McCardle had turned in the low round of the tournament on the final day with a 9-under 63, one shot shy of the course record.

Montgomery’s best drive of the day left him with just a little over a 100-yards on the 440-yard hole playoff hole. He then “hit a chip 52” wedge to about five feet and watched Whitney, Geyer and McCardle leave their birdie attempts to tap-in range. With a good size crowd including his parents and girlfriend watching from the clubhouse balcony, he sank the winning putt.

A good portion of the field, including Montgomery, now head to Q-School in early October to pursue the dream of playing golf next year on the Web.Com Tour.

“This tournament win is my biggest by far because of the Web.Com Tour exemption,” Montgomery said. “Now I know I get at least one start on the Web Tour (next year), it’s nice. This win tells me I am playing well going into Q-School.”

Rounding out the top five was former Utah Open champion Zahkai Brown with a 16-under finish. The low Utah professional was former Utah State Aggie Seokwon Jeon at 11-under and alone in 18th place.

Past winners of the Sand Hollow Open include Taylor Aldridge (2014), Zac Blair (2015 and 2016) and Whitney (2017), all who have or are now playing on the PGA Tour or Web.Com Tour.